What’s lurking in your favourite fragrance? 

Research published last week examined ingredients in popular fragrances sold in Belgium. The study was commissioned by Belgium’s Fight against cancer, Dutch ‘Erase all Toxins’, and the Danish Consumer Association. 

Twenty fragrance brands were tested for synthetic chemicals that have already been identified to have endocrine disrupting properties, interfering with the healthy functioning of the endocrine system. Endocrine disruptors, or EDCs, have been linked to many diseases including some breast cancers, because they can upset the balance of hormones in the body. 

In total, 26 “problematic” chemicals were identified during testing in brands such as Chanel, Armani, and Hugo Boss. Read the full list here. 

How concerned should we be about chemicals in our fragrance? 

With so many toiletries and cosmetics using synthetic chemicals during the manufacturing processes, it’s not good news for anyone who enjoys a sprinkle of fragrance to brighten their day, so what can you do to reduce your exposure if you’re concerned? One possibility is to spray fragrance onto your clothes, reducing direct skin contact in the process. Opening a window when spraying any fragranced product in a room will allow airborne particles to disperse more quickly, and reduce the chances of inhaling chemicals slightly. 

An easy way to learn more about chemical ingredients listed as ingredients

Reading product labels is really hard unless you’re an expert in chemistry. To find out more about what’s in your daily toiletries and skincare is, we recommend downloading Yuka, an App that’s recently become available in the UK. It’s really easy to use – simply scan the barcode of 1000’s of personal care items, and it reveals the ingredients, and calculates a score from 0-100. Yuka stores information on lots of food products as well, so you can check out your supermarket shop. Not all products are included yet, but the database is growing daily, and it’s free to use. Find out more. 

It’s a useful guide to use if you’d like to swap to a product with fewer chemicals. It might be of special interest for anyone thinking about fertility, and women who are pregnant. To find out more about the the potential harmful effects of EDCs during pregnancy visit our page here.